Chapter 12
Chapter Twelve
“ T he very last day for you to get me the lyrics for your music video is Tuesday,” James Lyle reminded him.
“I can have them to you by then,” he agreed, rubbing his forehead. He loved writing, singing, recording, and performing. What he hated was the technical aspect of his career. Meetings, promotions, filming videos, and of course, all the events where he had to kiss ass.
“Great. Are you sure you can’t head into the studio before Max returns?” James asked again.
Abe held in a sigh.
“Three more weeks,” he said. “Then I’ll head straight into the studio for however long it takes.”
“But you are still attending Friday night’s gala?” James asked. “I have everything arranged for you. I’ll send you the flight info and I’ve already booked your usual suite. Plus, there will be a car ready to take you to the party.”
“Yes, I’ll be there.” He tried to hold in a groan. He didn’t really want to go to the industry party that weekend. Sure, it was just one night, but that would be one night away from here and away from Dylan. Then he smiled. “Add a plus one for me.”
James was quiet for a moment. “Is there something I should know?”
From the moment he’d signed his first contract with James, the man had seen to his every need.
“No,” he answered and quickly asked, “How are Reba and Mason doing?” hoping to change the subject to the man’s wife and one-year-old son.
He and James had been friends long before he’d signed his first record deal.
Reba and Kara had been best friends, having met in college, and James and Reba had gotten together thanks to that connection.
Two months after meeting, they’d tied the knot in a lavish wedding that had been in all the tabloids, thanks to Reba’s family’s power and James’s hot career.
“Good,” James said quickly. “Rumors have it you’ve been seen with a pretty auburn-haired woman up there? Is she the plus one? Are things getting serious?”
“No,” he answered, slightly frustrated that James couldn’t move on.
Especially since Tony Carson, his PR manager, was on the line with them.
Tony would try and use the relationship with Dylan to boost his next album, if he thought it was serious.
After all, nothing sells music as well as the rumor of a budding romance.
Well, nothing but heartbreak, at any rate.
“Dylan and I are just… figuring things out.”
“Dylan?” He could practically hear James frown through the line.
“She’s just a new friend,” he added quickly, “and off limits.”
“Leave the man alone,” Tony broke in. “If he says it’s off limits, let’s respect that decision.”
Tony had always been on every call James and he had. After a little snafu a year ago, when someone had leaked details about his relationship with Kara. He figured both men wanted to watch his back.
James had a one-year-old and was no doubt sleep deprived, which is probably why he was quiet most of the call.
At this point, by Tony’s thinking, coming clean about his and Kara’s relationship and exposing his heartbreak about her death might boosted sales for his next album.
Especially his new song “Lost in the Dark,” a song that he’d written for Kara.
James wasn’t too keen on the idea. Abe no longer cared at this point. The truth was bound to get out sooner or later.
But this time, what he had with Dylan, it was different. He didn’t want what he felt for her to be a tool to sell more records.
Abe’s fingers curled into a fist on the arm of his chair. “Dylan Beck is not to be used as a PR stunt,” he said clearly, each word clipped, cold, for the benefit of both men.
The silence that followed was tight.
Finally, James cleared his throat. “Of course not. Just covering all angles.”
“Now, if you don’t mind, I have other business to get to,” Abe said, rubbing his forehead again.
The dull throb there had grown into a full-on pulse.
He leaned back in the chair, the leather creaking under his weight.
The thought of the cold turkey sandwich waiting in his fridge filled him with more irritation than hunger.
He really ought to get some of those pre-made meals at the store.
He was tired of cooking. Tired of… well, everything at the moment.
“One last thing,” Tony broke in. “I’ve got a handful of new advertising opportunities. I’ll email you later today. Make your choices. Let me know. All of them are good and will help with your new album. Also, I’m working on your next tour and will let you know dates and venues.”
“Thanks,” Abe said flatly, already reaching for the button to end the call. “See you on Friday.” He didn’t wait for their goodbyes.
The moment the call ended, he pushed to his feet and stretched his arms above his head until his spine popped. The walls of the room felt smaller after that two-hour conversation, the air stale with the scent of leather, electronics, and ego. He needed space. Something real. Something alive.
Outside, the salty breeze hit him like a balm. He tugged on his boots and made the short walk to the barn. The moment he slid the doors open, he felt his tension ease.
The barn smelled of hay, saddle oil, and horse. Comforting, grounding, unlike the artificial tones and scripted nonsense from his call. Blaze poked his head over the stall gate and let out a soft whinny.
“Hey, boy.” He reached out, scratching behind the gelding’s ear as Blaze nuzzled into his palm, searching for a treat.
“Sorry, bud. Fresh out.” He smiled faintly and patted the horse’s neck. “Next time, I swear.”
He moved through the barn, checking water levels and tossing extra hay into the stalls. Each familiar motion pulled him further away from the call, from James and Tony and the weight of their expectations.
He loved his music, loved writing it, playing it, performing it and, of course, the money that flooded in because of it.
What he hated was the industry behind it.
The fake smiles and people who wanted things from him and were always poking their noses into his personal life.
Not that there had been much of that after Kara.
Still, for the past few years, the media had tried to tie him to many women.
Some had been just friends. There were others he’d tried to get close to until they’d tried to use him to boost their own budding acting or modeling careers. He was tired of being used.
Then he thought of Dylan. Technically, she hadn’t used him. Sure, she had played it cool to get close to him. For a reason. Not a selfish one, but… business? Looking into her eyes, he could tell she wanted answers about Kara’s death as much as he did.
Since their cause was the same, he was willing to overlook her omissions the first few times they’d met. She was being honest with him now, that much was true. After all, everyone in town knew everything about her.
He’d overheard a story about her first date and how she’d been tricked into going out with a boy who had ditched her at the dance. Her entire class had been in on it. Even Lucy.
He thought about the conversation she’d had with him in the barn. The pain in her voice had been real when she’d spoken about her friend’s betrayal. He didn’t know what he’d do if any of his close friends ever turned on him like that.
As he stepped outside, the wind tugged at his shirt, stronger than it had since he’d been there. Like a storm was coming. He could almost smell it in the air coming off the Pacific.
He followed the narrow trail behind the stables, the well-worn path curving between the dune grass. When he reached the top of the ridge, he paused, the roar of the ocean filling his ears like a low, endless song. Closing his eyes for a moment, he just listened to it.
When he opened his eyes, he spotted a lone figure moving along the shore below, jogging at the edge of the foam. Tall. Athletic. Comfortable in his skin in the way Abe sometimes forgot how to be.
Nate Elliott. The man Abe had seen chatting with Dylan in the bookstore. The man who had been too friendly. Dylan had assured him there was nothing between them. But would Nate agree?
His jaw tightened slightly before he could stop it.
Nate’s pace slowed as he approached the stairs. He looked up and spotted Abe at the top and raised a hand with an easy, genuine smile.
“Hey!” Nate called, jogging the last few steps to the base of the stairs. “Didn’t think I’d run into you out here today.”
Abe nodded and descended a few steps to meet him halfway. “Nice day for a run.”
“It’s not the best time of day, honestly.
Mornings are more my game. Unfortunately, this morning I was working.
” Nate lifted the hem of his shirt to wipe his forehead.
His abs flashed in the sunlight, and Abe instantly hated himself for noticing.
“But at least it’s nice and quiet, if not a little too hot. ”
Abe leaned against the wooden railing, forcing himself to relax. “You work at the Brew-Ha-Ha?”
“My family owns it. I’ve been working there for as long as I can remember.
Now that Juliette is too busy and my folks have decided they want to travel more, I’ve stepped up to take over.
” Nate laughed. “Honestly, I never pictured myself wanting to return home. But Pride has a way of pulling you back in.”
Abe let out a low chuckle despite himself. “Yeah, I’ve heard that more than once since I’ve been here.”
“It’s really a great place. Wonderful people.” Nate stretched a calf muscle against the step, then he looked up again. “How are things up there?” He motioned to the buildings behind him.
“Good. Max and your sister’s new horses, Stormy and Blaze, are getting settled in.”
“Good. I still can’t believe my sister has horses again.” He shook his head. “Dylan mentioned the other day that you were breaking them in?”
There it was again. That uncomfortable twist low in his gut. A spark of something he didn’t want to name, because he knew what it was. Jealousy. Ugly and sharp.